Moonfang Rising V2
by CeriaHalcyon
Summary: Also on hiatus, but not because of a pairing issue, simply boredom with the returner plots.
1. Inner Circle Reformation

**_Bleach is the property of Kubo Tite, whereas the returner premise for Moonfang is my own._**

**_Moonfang Rising_**

**I **_Inner circle reformation_

_**--**_

_In the middle distance, between life and death, thoughts stretch out for an eternity…_

_The final gasp, whether it be a word a curse or an inexplicable ramble, it echoes in the ears of the fallen for all of time. _

'_Did I win, or did I fail once more?' _

This is the final thoughts of Kurosaki Ichigo.

"Ichigo"

'_Did I win or did I fail once more?' _

"Ichigo"

The final thought encompasses the being of the fallen, preventing any other thoughts or external stimulus from entering. Within the core of those words, the fallen relives every moment which lead to the uttering of such words. The lingering touch of emotions, pain, terror and shame only enhance the purgatory.

The world however continued to spin as it was meant to, the sun still rose and fell, the night still reigned for it's opposite half.

Even if two souls fought for all of eternity, Aizen and Ichigo, neither had the might to destroy the world entirely. As it was created by the king, it would never fall by anything other than his thoughts.

But Ichigo's world had been destroyed, the life that he lived, the humanity he sought to clench tightly while still being the mask and the sword, and the futility in the realization that the life he had was no longer possible.

He had lost his ability to love, when Rukia had fallen. And while the remaining pieces of his soul still remained, unbroken from his existence, a fierce and unrelenting anger took hold, one so furious that not even Inoue's rejection could heal it.

'_Did I win, or did I lose Rukia all over again?' _

Though with Zangetsu, Ichigo was never truly alone and thus never without any hope. And in the twilight of his last moment, Ichigo remained unable to hear the old man reaching out, just as he had been the first time they met.

"ICHIGO!" Reiatsu thundered open the eyes of Ichigo, and tore the eternal song of words from his ears, and brought forth the name from an unmistakable voice.

"Old man, is that you?" He answered.

"Always Ichigo", replied the man in a dark tattered body length cloak, with yellow transparent glasses covering his eyes.

"Is this the end, am I going to pass on?"

"Not if you don't want it to be Ichigo", the sword replied to it's master, which of course drew the most curious of expressions upon his face.

Zangetsu took Ichigo's stunned silence as a _'you may continue'_.

"It would seem we have obtained the attention of the king…"

"The king?" Ichigo's eyes had widened to the limit of shock.

"He has granted us a get out of jail free card."

"Get out of jail?" Ichigo replied, scratching his head, getting a little irritated at Zangetsu beating around the bush. It's not like the orange haired boy had anything better to do, but if there was a chance he could live again, he wished the old man would get on with it!

"He's restructured existence, so that you can have that which you've always wanted, you just have to kill Aizen one more time."

"Are you insane Zangetsu, I barely beat him this time?" An asterisk appeared in Ichigo's forehead but the old man cut through his offensive measures.

"You'll be returning Ichigo, with your full strength in tact, to a time when he wouldn't expect you to be so strong."

"Returning through time huh?" Ichigo mulled it over in his head for a moment longer than a breath.

Even if it turned out to be the biggest mistake he had ever made, Ichigo turned to the old man ready to sell his soul once more, if it meant he could see her face once more. To stare into her amethyst eyes he'd do anything at any cost, even time travel.

"You should know Ichigo…" Zangetsu felt the affirmation of yes echoing through his partner's soul, "the king trusts in your judgment, and he's done this so that you can live in payment for all the suffering you've endured."

"Take my hand Ichigo, and I'll guide us to a moment that best suits our situation."

Nodding somewhat gravely, Ichigo drifted over and took the left hand of Zangetsu, who with his right, threw back the curtain of nothingness which had surrounded them, unveiling a mosaic of time and space that no one could describe even if they tried.

The closest definition would make it appear like a painting, though it wasn't two dimensional, at the very least it was three or four, with moments spread everywhere and nowhere in particular or with any defined order.

The canvas was the entirety of Ichigo's life, painted by through his choices and illustrated brightly with the moments of the most relevancy.

The goal was a moment with the most possibility of success. So Zangetsu chose an insertion point just before the first venture to soul society, as to prevent many of the suffering instances that occurred, as well as the primary objective.

Grasping the instance in question with his pointer finger, Zangetsu initialized the sequence for the return, but swiftly shifted his hand around to touch various other moments, ones which his thoughts had aligned within close reach, saving traces of their parts, and tucking them away without Ichigo noticing the transaction.

To himself, Zangetsu smiled, wanting to see the look on Ichigo's face when he realized what had just happened, though knowing him it wouldn't occur until they were staring him in the eye once more.

"Come Ichigo, we ride, back to another time!" Zangetsu roared clenching the younger half of himself as they dove into the moment held within the mind of the zanpakuto, leaping into it as if it was a portal in its own right.

The mosaic of his life shimmered away, and they were transported into a middle ground of countless colors. But the distance between Ichigo and the past also held a partial visage of the earth rapidly resetting backwards.

To a slowing world they came, falling upon the open blues and greens, through the whites of clouds without so much as a trace of flame.

And Ichigo felt himself become heavy with a gravitational pull that could've been by his estimation to be around ten times the normal drag.

It was however the will of his soul to merge with it's predecessor, and thus balance out their signature in this world. The gravity of the pull was an everlasting system of order which had to be accomplished, or it would create instability beyond reckoning.

Within the seemingly empty hand of Zangetsu, several pulls existed within his grasp, and still without the noticing of Ichigo, the old man let the souls find and right themselves within the former world.

This was the very sort of instance, in his past, where the reunion of his soul could take place within a moment of his own transition.

For it was within the bowels of the Urahara shoten, deep within the pit, and within the crumbling inner world that the returner finally appeared.

--

One soul departed for the eternal home of the Shinigami, Sereitei.

One drifted away from the city, to a place near a waterfall, where a young man was about to embark on his own style of training, as mandated by his deceased master.

Two remaining souls were linked together, for their destination was the same…

An abandoned building where a cat was trying to teach them how to acquire their latent abilities.

Breaching the dimensions that existed between earth and heaven, the soul of a Shinigami didn't fight the pull that sought to reunite him with the vessel where he belonged.

Into the rukongai he burst, and then straight through the white road gate, as a Shinigami, his presence wasn't anything unusual, thus the gate did not fall and thus the shield didn't disrupt his movement.

Over countless comrades and allies he sailed through the air like a bird, on a wind that could not stop, nor would stop even if he tried to fly along another course.

It was so close now, the port awaiting the new returning vessel, the one that it would merge with, the one moored in this timeline.

Entering the compound of the most popular captain of the age, the soul finds its way into the barracks, where a lone Shinigami walks back to his post, pondering over his conversation with the most publicized prisoner in Sereitei to date.

The Shinigami staggers and then falls to a knee as his own soul fragments for a moment, and accepts the other without hesitation or the even choice of refusing.

Through a gasping panting breath, the Shinigami manages to lean upward against a wall, clenching his chest as his heart thunders for a moment. His eyes then open with images he's never seen, feelings never felt, hardships and echoes of a time that had yet to come to be.

Memories and recollections fill his mind and reconnect with the present.

The first action of the new Abarai Renji, is to shift his head back to the rear, as his mouth is slightly agape, eyes wide at the presence that sits quietly in a cell behind him, some fifty feet or more. A presence which had every right to be there in that time, but he was still used to his own time, a time where she didn't exist anymore.

'_Mother of god?' _is all he can manage to stammer in his quieting head.

The voice of the baboon filled the inner ears within him, Zabimaru answered his master's gasp with a musing of the reality which they had just become a part of. Even though the two were separated due to the ban on wearing weapons in a time of piece, Zabimaru was still a piece of his soul, that remained whether or not the sword was affixed to his side.

'_Zangetsu, what have you done to us?' _

'_Zangetsu…' _Renji spoke to no one but himself and the other part of himself which inhabited the blade.

'_As in Ichigo's zanpakuto… Zangetsu?' _

'_Well isn't this a surprise, from your memories Renji, I'd say we've taken a permanent stroll down memory lane. And our previous full might is still with us, perhaps a bit stronger!'_

'_Time travel? Impossible…' _Renji stumbled for a moment more and then returned to the cell he had just departed from, only this could confirm his fears and confirm the possibility that he had just returned to a point years in the past.

Peeking his head around the corner suspiciously, he glanced back and then around in the fraction of a moment.

'Rukia…?' Renji's heart nearly leapt out of his chest, from the acknowledgement that it was true.

He had come back.

Her head was turned to the left, she sat silently with neither a smile nor a frown gracing her lips, she seemed to be focusing on her predicament, and barely noticed the swift appearance then disappearance of his head.

'_That's Rukia alright'_, Renji face palmed as he couldn't believe it was true. He realized then that his return was too great a secret for him to keep for very long. He had to tell someone, and while he had grown to have a great relationship with Kuchiki-taicho in the future, the present one would call such a tale the means for dismissal due to insanity.

There was only one person he could trust with such a tale, the one who had taught him how to achieve Bankai.

'_Ikkaku, I hope you haven't been drinking too much, cause you'll probably want to after you hear about this…' _Renji thought as he strode wholeheartedly to visit with his combat mentor.

--

In order to obtain their latent spiritual abilities, Yoruichi knew that Sado and Inoue had to simply focus on what mattered. The key to themselves was the question of what did they want to achieve at the moment their powers appeared?

But more importantly, what reason did they have for venturing to Soul Society, for it would be the foundation of their resolves.

For Inoue it was the protection of her beloved friend, Tatsuki, who protected her like a sibling, whom Inoue considered to be a sister.

The reason for her resolve was no different, because Ichigo was someone she loved as well.

"Inoue…Sado, why do you want to go to soul society?" Asked Yoruichi.

"I…"

Seamlessly, the future became relevant knowledge to her.

For so long Inoue had been powerless in her inability to do anything to aid her friends. Her only weapon in Sereitei was hope, but it was a foolish hope, one that she didn't realize until the time she conversed with Ulquiorra within the fifth tower.

Fearlessly, and relentlessly, Inoue lived her life from then on with the knowledge that her heart was one with everyone else.

Reality came to her in the blink of an eye, achieving the ideal of what the future had taught her, and the fact she had the chance to prevent the demise of Rukia, which, would bring a smile to the one she loved the most.

"I want to protect Ichigo, and my friends!"

The six fairies of the rikka burst into sight by that invincible resolve.

Shunyo, Ayame, Tsubaki, Baigon, Lilly and Hinagaku appeared, materializing from her headpins, and Inoue then greeted them warmly.

Turning next to Chad, Yoruichi reiterated her original question, "Why then do you wish to go to soul society?"

'_Isn't obvious'_, said a voice from deep within his core.

'_Yeah!' _Sado replied to the voice unaware and uncaring, since it was none other than his own voice speaking out. His resolve was the strongest among the group, he didn't need a lengthy time to rebuild his thoughts and reaffirm himself, his will was never subject to change based on the moment. Three years whether it be future present or past, he would stand back to back with Ichigo throughout any fight.

Darkness pooled in his fist as if it were a spring, and down his forearm it flowed, until it had reached his shoulder and rose upward from it.

In the wake of the reiatsu, revealed a scarlet and black armored segment. Thin and compressed, the armor had none of the original wrist wings or the two dorsal points, only the single fin, as it was the day he left for Hueco Mundo.

Sweat dropped down the face of Yoruichi, who hadn't expected either of these kids to be so powerful. Strength flowed from them, as if they were the very tides themselves, surging forward relentlessly.

'_Could this Kurosaki really have this much influence over them?' _She thought amidst her surprise.

Yoruichi seemed lost in her own thoughts, which was an irregularity for the feline, so the words "Ichigo must be with Urahara" passed in and out of her ears without any recourse.

She nearly face vaulted once more when Inoue and Sado leapt from an open window, vanishing from sight in a shunpo like technique.

--

Chad's movement was basically no different than the hollow echoing movement, or sonido. He dashed above the world below at speeds a normal human and even Shinigami couldn't dare to dread.

Inoue on the other hand was using her abilities more openly, with the external rejection shield set behind her. The shield cut its way into the force of gravity, rejecting its hold on her and thus using the negated energy as a means of propelling herself forward. Using her abilities in such a manner was a means of misdirecting gravity to suit her needs.

--

Knelt firmly on a rock beside a rushing stream stood the second to last member of the Quincy race. His honor hung like a leaf on a tree, very tender and fragile, thus his desire to strengthen himself for a comeback.

Holding a bowing stature, like an apprentice, before the gift box from his departed master, Uryuu reached out to activate the training measure that was as much a gift as it was a mark that would permanently change his appearance.

Such a thing to Uryuu was irrelevant, appearances were nothing compared to inner strength, and the glove within the case held a possible future that he couldn't even dream of then.

It was then though, with the ushering of a breeze upon his back, that the future came to him.

The transition was seamless and painless, the arriving soul passed through the pores of his skin and through the membranes and muscles into the very core of his being. In an instant, it was over, leaving him all of time to mull over what had just occurred.

Illusions erupted in his mind, countless images feelings and textures of reiatsu that were beyond his ability to rationally conceive. As one second passed, and another and another the concept of illusion shifted into living memory, a recollection of that which had not yet occurred.

"I remember this time…" his voice stumbled and then righted itself after the second word.

His tones were slightly darker and deeper, for one whose age had increased, and thus had lost some of it's youthful beginnings.

"As if it were yesterday, and yet it wasn't. I fought for my life yesterday, and narrowly defeated that arrancar."

"Nevertheless I find myself pondering the existence of miracles, for the younger version of myself who stood here only moments prior, claims that this is three years prior to the time I know it to be. Is this a dream created by Aizen?"

Off in the distance, his attention shifts, as he detects a blossoming of strength not unlike his own sudden change. Then another.

'_Inoue and Sado-kun, they've done it too?' _Uryuu wondered silently.

'_This must truly be a dream then?' _

Seconds later, slight bursts of spiritual energy denoted that the two in his sights were on the move, both centering on one location…

'_This direction…' _Uryuu honed his amplified senses, detecting traces upon traces of reiatsu from a location underground. He then picked up on subtle reverberations of reiatsu, outlining a situation similar to his own predicament.

'_This reiatsu… is Kurosaki?!' _

"Could this be reality?" Uryuu spoke aloud, as he reached down for the box he had not yet opened, placed it within his pack with a respectful tenderness.

He then took an wide stance, honing all his abilities to the energy deficient nature of living world. Thrusting out his arms, in a horizontal yet outward form just like his legs, Uryuu gathered all the reiryoku in the area, bending it to his will and forming it into a more suitable attire for him.

'_There's enough for a mantle,' _Uryuu considered, _'pants and a shirt, the defensive armor…not enough for the full attack armor then.' _

When he opened his eyes, he had donned a partial alabaster cloak, pants and a long sleeved shirt, with it's backside bearing the Quincy cross.

After a thorough check of his attire for imperfections, Uryuu noticed that his ability to create a uniform was on par with his future self, possibly even a trace better.

The creation technique was obviously a modified version of the puppet ability which allowed for the use of limbs that were immobilized. Uryuu pushed it a step further, using his knowledge in the field of clothing creation to use the technique constantly as an defensive armor.

Unfortunately, Uryuu's younger self did not possess any of the Schneider blades, and the ability to re-create that artifact was beyond his maximum potential. This of course made him have to forego his favorite means of travel.

Ishida Uryuu, the strongest Quincy alive, followed the pace of his nakama then, dashing from sight using flying legs screen to reform with his inner circle.

--

"Manager, shouldn't we do something? He's becoming a hollow!" Roared Jinta as he watched Ichigo's face erupt with an alabaster colored mask.

Pure white reiatsu streamed into the air from Ichigo's pores, but suddenly it shifted, from entirely hollow to a perfect blend of the two, thus taking the dark cherry hue that was synonymous with Ichigo's Bankai.

The air began to shiver and shudder, growing colder and colder, ultimately releasing a level of power that Ichigo should not have had by Urahara's estimation.

'_There was always the possibility of him becoming like Hirako-san, in taking this method that is.' _

"Not yet Jinta-kun, the fact that his body remains is a sign of his resistance, wait just another moment, it's still possible…"

Jinta sensed then that there was more his boss wanted to say, but out of fear he didn't press the issue.

'_It's possible that we turned him into something wrong.' _

Within his inner world, Ichigo followed the red streak of reiryoku to the box containing his zanpakuto hilt and thus his Shinigami might.

As Zangetsu roared for him to retrieve the hilt, another voice quieted the old man's cry.

The pressure emitted from Ichigo suddenly stabilized, and the breakdown of his inner world began to reverse, with the boxes rising upward with a stunning speed.

"It isn't over yet Zangetsu, because I am with you", the returner's voice echoed triumphantly within his inner world, as his mere presence had restored the buildings and even righted them horizontally as they were meant to be.

"What sort of magic is this?" Zangetsu demanded.

"Why is there another me…?" the original Ichigo prodded as a somewhat taller version of himself stood next to him on the plane of a skyscraper. He wore not a Shinigami uniform, not a proper one, but a black skin tight overcoat with tattered lower edges. He held a black daito in his starboard hand, a longsword.

The true Zangetsu came into being with a similar shuddering that erupted from his real body.

"So that's how it is… Ichigo, we've been given the most spectacular of gifts… The necessary might to save Rukia, because he's done it once before…"

"He's done it once before…what do you mean old man?"

But before either Ichigo or the old man could reply, a sinisterly dark voice rang out from Ichigo as if he were a speaker.

"Don't tell me I'm gonna have company in here?"

"Where did that voice come from?" the younger Ichigo demanded.

"From me", spoke Shirosaki as a bust of him phased up out of the returner's torso to regard the younger Ichigo.

The younger backed away slightly in fear of the monstrous version of this other Ichigo.

The elder took one look at Shiro and with forceful eyes made the hollow retreat back into him, but not without singing a tune.

"Such a lovely place, such a lovely place, but such an ugly face…plenty of room in the hotel Kurosaki…ahahahahaha!"

"What in the hell was that?" Exclaimed the visibly afraid younger Ichigo.

"There's little time to explain, all will be made relevant when the two of you draw that zanpakuto."

"Okay then…" Ichigo's resolve fluctuated a little, but reaffirmed when he simply glanced into the eyes of the other version of himself…

His eyes showed no fear, and teemed with hope.

The hope of saving Rukia, the hope of protecting the future and the hope that he could live in peace with everyone.

"Let's do it!" Ichigo roared as the other joined his left hand with the respective other as they grasped the hilt.

"For Rukia…" Spoke the younger.

"For Rukia…" Spoke the elder.

Pulling the hilt from the box, the two Ichigo's became one.

Their first task as a unified being, was the collect the energies that danced around them, for not a single drop of the future's precious gift would be wasted.

All of it would be directed to the saving of Rukia.

And…

And the destruction of Aizen for the last time.

As if he were the bottom of a drain, he collected all of the light around him, instead of letting it escape in an explosion.

Kurosaki Ichigo, the returner didn't shoot out of the hole as he had done once before, he rose slowly, and deliberately, giving himself the necessary instances to gather and reaffirm his thoughts.

So much waltzed through his eyes a second time, the countless battles, wars and enemies, the ones that bought him time, the ones with whom he had kinship, and the enemies turned trusted friends.

Friends, for they were the reason he returned. He would fight so that Ishida, Chad and Inoue wouldn't have to be burdened with such a desperate future.

For Rukia, even if she was to never show the level of emotion he held for her, for Ichigo it was enough just to see her alive once more. Just for that expression of disbelief, Ichigo then pledged to devote his entirety to the witness of his soul of this time, that he would save Rukia at any cost.

Ichigo vowed that this time he would not lose her.

And with that resolve, he then could face the light of day.

A definite force had appeared from the hole in the earth, yet it remained concealed by debris and dust that drifted softly in the air.

But Urahara had yet to discern whether or not their efforts had been successful. The Kurosaki-san before him was considerably strong as expected, but he had unique twinge of darkness to him, a pseudo hollow presence, as well as the Shinigami aura.

While the efforts of the being wasn't enough to make anyone take a knee, the chill that ensued just from being within his orbit was legitimately ferocious.

Urahara cleared his throat, wishing to reach out vocally to the being within the dissipating cloud, "Kurosaki-san is that you?"

The new Ichigo heard the unmistakable tones of Kisuke and realized for a moment that he wasn't exactly acting true to history. For he wasn't wearing the hollow mask. But even still, his aura was enough to make Urahara suspicious, so there was no point in exposing his entire hand, so he kept the mask a discarded thought.

A voice then replied to the geta sandal wearing man, but it was free of the retribution and anger he had expected.

Urahara assumed a hotheaded response from Ichigo, and much to his visible dismay, only the tones of a solemn depth echoed.

"Urahara-san," he spoke, "let me introduce you to my zanpakuto".

Sensing a killer intention radiating from the boy, Kisuke leapt back, removing the cane-like sheath from his sword.

"Once more shall our fangs pierce the sky ZANGETSU!"

Kisuke was right to instinctively dodge, as a black cherry burst of reiatsu released from the tip of a not yet visible blade, careening right for him.

Within his shield of blood mist, Urahara watched the wreckage unfold as a canyon had split down the middle between himself and Ichigo.

It wasn't a mere ditch either, it was a canyon at least ten meters deep!

With Ichigo now brandishing the enlarged steak knife that was his moon cutter, Urahara was left without the ability to speak, even though he had many questions.

"How?" Spoke the flabbergasted Urahara Kisuke.

A voice and a corresponding equally vehement presence answered his question, but not before two other presences could join her.

"It's a miracle", spoke Inoue, "It truly is a miracle."

Unmistakable strength and presence echoed in Sado Yastora, Ishida Uryuu and Orihime Inoue, as Ichigo stood there in disbelief of the fact he wasn't the only returner. Distraught was plastered on Ichigo's face, and as Urahara turned, he understood why.

And, as Zangetsu surmised, the received reaction was equally priceless.

--

--

_**A/N: **_Thank you for taking the time to read the reinvented Return of the Moonfang. I did this for many reasons, because I had strayed too far from the canon storyline, and I had turned Ichigo into an entirely different character. Also I accept the mantle of blame for not adhering to the wishes of so many of you who wanted me to "hurry the hell up and get them to Sereitei". But while I was having fun with the story I had been writing, it had been such a burden trying to maintain impossible plotlines.

In essence, I was trying to bring everything together for one over complicated mess.

Reading the manga of bleach has enlightened me to the truth of the characters I had been writing about. So I decided not to tarnish their names any further. I have increased the number of returners this time, but I have also reduced Ichigo's power, and my perception of the power scale in bleach. I have also removed the presence of the king, in the sense that if Zangetsu was the king then thus Ichigo would be, and it brought a level of omnipotence that Ichigo has never had.

So we'll see how this goes. Hopefully it will turn out well.

Thanks for playing along everyone!

_**CeriaHalcyon**_


	2. Who we are

_**Moonfang Rising**_

_**II **__Who we are_

--

Renji had walked for the better part of a day, walked rather than dashed through the air, walked in fear that he might inadvertently show a part of himself that needed to stay hidden. In coming to the border of the eleventh division, he met a pair of nameless guards. After returning their respectful greetings, Renji passed them by. He surmised that the guards must've been newer members, for they had not been apart of the division when he was once a seated officer. Nevertheless, Renji acknowledged their existence all the same, for he was always known as well mannered to many of the Shinigami divisions, despite his somewhat rough exterior.

His senses were more attune than they had ever been, and even at such a distance, Renji knew precisely where Ikkaku was positioned within the division barracks.

That being said, Renji noticed that even though he had advanced considerably, Zaraki's presence was escaping him. The insanity of such a thought was enough to make Renji somewhat irritated, because any reiatsu sniffing bloodhound would back away in fear the moment they stepped within the domain of Kenpachi.

'_Why can't I sense Captain Zaraki?' _Abarai mulled over in his head as he continued his pace to meet up with the eleventh division third seat.

"He's here Yachiru, the one I sensed just a moment ago…" A gravely voice reverberated from an alcove, a street over from where Renji was walking.

This of course earned a high pitched reply from a roseate haired shoulder ornament "Ken-Chan, is he strong?"

"I think so, this should be enough to knock the cobwebs from my joints."

With a slight chuckle, the foreshadowing behemoth carefully paced himself as he turned a corner and came to an intersection in the road, just as Abarai Renji entered the other side.

The sudden appearance of the Zaraki Kenpachi that Renji couldn't sense, was enough to leave him silently stunned.

And for the eleventh captain surprise was an equal reaction.

"What's this, it's only you Renji", Zaraki spoke in a tone of clear disappointment.

"Hey Pineapple-head!" Yachiru chimed in cheerfully from his shoulder.

Abarai bowed respectfully greeting Zaraki and Yachiru by name and rank.

"And here", Zaraki continued, "I had thought I was getting a hold on sensing reiatsu… DAMN!"

Abarai sighed in relief, knowing that Zaraki was still the same.

'_Thank heaven that Zaraki still can't sense his way out of a brown paper bag.'_

But the notion that he had narrowly missed detection did fire a synapse or two more than he had originally considered. The fact remained blatantly clear that any other captain would immediately sense the sudden growth in him. His presence, like his Bankai was a hidden elephant in the room that he could not hide by simply trying to suppress it.

Abarai needed an edge…

One glance at Zaraki illuminated a row of neon signs in the head of the vice captain…

The eye patch.

'_But how do I cross such a bridge without having him suspect my growth?' _

Zaraki had nodded somewhat courteously and started to walk back into the barracks when Renji reached out to him with what he hoped appeared to be an innocent question.

"Captain Zaraki, do you happen to have another eye-patch I could use?"

Kenpachi stopped in his tracks, leaving Renji trembling slightly in suspense as he had put himself out, hoping the captain wouldn't see the true intention behind his request.

"…Oh, you want to hide your power…Interesting…" Zaraki's demeanor shifted to mild amusement.

Still Renji waited patiently but ever growing in anxiety.

"You're here to see Ikkaku right, tell him to give you my armband."

"For me it restricts too much, and leaves me with not enough to play with, for you, it just might kill you…"

Zaraki seemed to be processing slowly, like an old computer…

'_Did he realize it?' _Renji thought…

"Eh, whatever, just don't come whining to me!"

Renji sighed once more, removing the emotional iron weights which had suddenly clung to his chest.

"Thank you very much Captain Zaraki!"

Zaraki nodded, and replied with his usual remarks…

"Yeah, you gotta fight me someday though, get strong and we'll have it out!"

Renji bowed thankfully, and realized that his luck was extremely great to have him survive such an encounter without being forced to divulge his secrets.

--

Within the bowels of Karakura Town, there existed a blue sky desert realm, appearing like another dimension while still in reality itself.

Only a moment prior, Urahara Kisuke was forced to question whether or not he was really in what he had conceived to be reality.

But his concept of what was true and false would be tested more and more, starting with a swirling crimson darkness radiating from behind his back, as he had turned to face the other kids.

Oddly, Urahara's skin prickled then with a foreboding chill. Familiarity echoed in his senses, as the overbearing darkness in the aura behind him ushered a memory to the surface of his mind.

Returning his eyes forward, they widened and his jaw slacked upon a sight that would certainly be filed under the most unexpected.

Ichigo was…wearing a mask…

A white party favor mask, which covered his entire face, white with blood finger streaks along it's port side. Angled eye slits and the dental indentations of two rows of jagged teeth.

Most frightening of all, a pair of topaz glowing retinas, surrounded by seas of darkness stared back at him.

Just like Shinji Hirako.

"My bad", Ichigo chuckled, as his voice had taken on the distorted tone of the hollow, "now I think my reentrance is complete."

Inoue chuckled at the somewhat comical gesture that Ichigo had made, Sado merely gave his usual subtle laugh, resounding deeply almost like a grunt, but more pleasant.

'_What is this…' _Urahara thought as a distorted voice came from the masked mouth of this Ichigo, as he regarded the others.

"Show off", a snide remark made by the Quincy struck Urahara's ears then, almost as if the boy expected Ichigo to take such a form.

'_This Ichigo has out of nowhere powers, and apparent knowledge of the hollowification. Is…he a sleeper…like Aizen?' _

Urahara let slip a question his mind was considering.

"Who are you Ichigo?"

Ichigo resolved himself to appear before his friends, and with the simplest of jumps, he blurred past the sandal man, landing by them.

It was a blatant display of shunpo, a skill he should've not yet known.

Kurosaki talked warmly with his friends momentarily, discussing the insanity that they had all returned…

'_Returned from what,' _Kisuke pondered silently.

Ichigo turned his head to regard the sandal man with one yellow eye, much like he had done to Inoue that one time…

With Tessai at his side just then, Urahara Kisuke pushed the issue more forcibly, spreading some of his reiatsu into the air to bolster his words;

"**Who are you!" **

"We have a lot to discuss Urahara-san, perhaps we could do it somewhere more comfortable?" Ichigo's words were genuine, and the fact that with a free hand, the boy reclaimed his face from the mask, was only proof that he sought no fight at the moment.

The explanations for all things, were better left done at once rather than constant repetitions. He understood enough about their return, and of course knew what had to be done, therefore he would lay all the cards out on the table, once and only once.

"Let's move this upstairs Urahara-san," the unmasked Ichigo reiterated, "if you come now, I will explain everything, or at least try to."

--

"You want what?" Madarame Ikkaku-the third seated officer of the eleventh division- spit out the tea he had been lightly sipping.

Resting his back against the barrack wall, Ikkaku composed himself for a second and then waited for Renji to explain himself.

"Captain Zaraki gave me permission to use his sealing armband. He told me that you have it Ikkaku-san."

The declaration made by Renji brought a serious expression to Ikkaku's face, but it was subtle, and then followed it up by using an exposition.

"True, I do have it", Ikkaku replied, "but I'm confused, for you to want it, you must've obtained a level of might which could get you in trouble if someone detected it."

Renji's eyes widened in the realization that his former mentor had shot right through to the heart of his situation.

'_Ikkaku-san, how did you figure it out?' _Renji stammered inside in disbelief.

A smile came to the lips of the third seated officer, with a slight chuckle, "for you, with someone to surpass, the need to hide yourself could only be explained by that reason. But anyone could've figured that out, cause you're far too easy to read."

'_I got lucky with Zaraki, but with the master of luck before me, there's none left for me to buy'._

"But don't let that trouble you to much Renji," Ikkaku placed his right hand on the ground to help propel himself upward from his sitting position. As he moved, the light of day reflected softly on his well polished forehead.

"I have an idea of what made you stronger, but we won't go into that. I won't force you to tell me anything Renji… But…"

Madarame walked over to a cupboard, opened it and pulled the armband which he then placed on an adjacent table.

"But, I can't just give you this, not without a proper trial."

'_A trial, oh shit!' _Renji palmed his face internally, because any kind of physical exertion was bound to show off some of his heightened abilities.

"I know that you vice captains are restricted when it comes to the wearing of zanpakuto, but if you're in need of this band, you should be able to fight me without it."

Ikkaku reached into the cupboard once more and grasped a wooden sparring sword from it's lower section.

'_Does he intend to make me use the powers I'm trying to suppress?' _

With a backward swipe of his hand, Ikkaku tossed the stick to Renji, who caught it without any difficulty.

"But, Ikkaku-san, if I fight you…" Renji tried to protest, but when Ikkaku removed Houzikimaru from it's scabbard, his voice lowered to a more serious tone.

"Abarai Renji, I told you that the next time we crossed swords, that I would fight to kill you. This however is not that moment, this is merely a trial to see if you're worthy of taking the only thing Zaraki ever gave to me."

Renji stepped back partially, realizing then the gravity of what he had been asking.

Madarame Ikkaku was a man who was inevitably born to fight, and born to die fighting under Zaraki Kenpachi. The unwavering respect that Ikkaku holds for his captain is immeasurable, much like Renji's own respect for Kuchiki Byakuya.

The situation he had just stepped into would be no different, if someone else had come to take the scarf Renji had won from Byakuya. And while the practical uses of both items were drastically separate, the acknowledgement manifested in those items made them irreplaceable.

Renji's need for the armband was a desperate one, to conceal the future version of himself from the eyes that would suspect a trap from a mile away.

He had come back for the reason of ending the one who held those eyes, he had come back so that he could save Rukia from death, even if he was the only one. To throw away his greatest weapon: surprise was a risk he couldn't take just yet. Not with Aizen so far away, and not even in striking range.

Ikkaku stood before him just as if he were ready to fight and die, but Renji couldn't bring himself to even make a move.

'_**Humph,' **_spoke a sleeper voice within Renji, _**'stop pussyfooting around and take what we need!'**_

Ikkaku noticed then a deeper and darker presence emanating from his friend, an aura of unusual origin, unusual but highly recognizable as nothing other than a hollow's aura.

But Renji would still not move, resulting in an instability of his inner world, leaving Akenji all the opportunity to take control.

'_**If you can't handle it, then I will!' **_So spoke the hollow which also resided within the boundaries of his soul.

Far surpassing Renji's desire to remain hidden, the hidden inner half of him leapt to the surface in the king's moment of broken resolve, letting only his eyes regard the world. Opened sockets revealed a set of blood crimson eyes, glowing deeply.

Molecules of air shivered around this side of Renji, as it showed to Ikkaku the surprisingly terrifying reason he wanted to suppress his powers. And while it wasn't a captain level presence at that stage and in that moment, it was clearly a hollow of above average strength.

Ikkaku couldn't dismiss the sensation that a hollow was right before him, nor the killer intention which poured into the room from Renji.

"Renji…what have you become?"

A deeply disturbed and distorted version of Renji's voice answered him.

"**I am the power he needed to survive, for I am the power beyond Bankai."**

'_NOOOO!' _Renji vehemently screamed from within, knowing this was more pressure than he absolutely wanted to show at this point. Resonating then with a fiercer resolve than the interdictor, he reached up to the throne of his world and threw Akenji out on his ass!

A shuddering second later and the deep scarlet eyes vanished under Renji's eye lids and the thundering presence dissipated into nothingness. Akenji like always, left naught but destruction in his wake. And while there wasn't any damage to the room, Renji's reputation and Ikkaku's respect for him had been broken considerably.

The clattering sounds of sandals could be heard outside, as eleventh guard members rushed around.

Renji paced forward softly, passing Ikkaku, who could only stare in disbelief of what he had just witnessed.

Placing the sword within the cupboard, Renji picked up and donned the armband, which of course, drastically reduced his presence.

His aura was a touch less than it would've been normally, but that was fine by him.

"It's called Vizard, the acquisition of a hollow soul within your own. It was the reason Urahara Kisuke was banished, the reason why four captains and four vice captains disappeared in one night. They had been experiments, it had been out of their hands, and they had been betrayed."

"But it wasn't Kisuke's fault, he took the fall, while the real monster lurks among us even now. I unlike Hirako, have this power because I chose to have it, but coming back once more was not my choice."

"Coming back…?" Madarame trembled as he said those words.

"Someone or something has placed me in the past for the reason of fighting the monster. That's all I know at the moment, so I needed this to conceal myself at any cost."

Ikkaku may as well have been sculpted out of marble, cause he wasn't moving an inch. Shock and awe held him by the neck and every other place that could budge.

Renji spoke one last time, "while they are vastly different, I've kept your secret all these years Ikkaku-san, can you keep mine?"

--

The morning had gone rather smoothly, his streets were clean, his subordinates orderly and polite, and most importantly, he didn't have to issue any death threats.

Such rash and heated words were so not beautiful.

Within his division, Ayasegawa Yumichika had lightly strolled throughout the morning.

A short time prior, Yumichika had sensed the arrival of Abarai Renji, whom he no doubt assumed was speaking with Madarame. Therefore, the fifth seated officer ventured over to greet their mutual friend. Through the endless maze of tiled walkways he walked, but suddenly, his serenity was broken by the disturbance of a hollow presence.

Dashing forward and then around the nearest adjacent corner, Yumichika found a hollow standing just outside the door to Madarame's domicile.

And it had been a halcyon morning also…

"You piece of trash, how dare you defile my home," Ayasegawa roared.

Yet the hollow remained, unthawed as if it were frozen in place.

'_Is Ikkaku asleep…no, he would sense a power like this even in his sleep…but what about Renji?' _

Having drawn his zanpakuto, Ayasegawa closed in slowly from the rear, all which was made possible by the hollow's refusal to even acknowledge the presence of the fifth seat.

Such a visible display of audacity infuriated Yumichika, in that it almost seemed as if the hollow with no words at all said he wasn't beautiful enough to be looked at.

'_It has to sense me, so why is it just sitting there?' _

The hollow was a common variety of a wriggling worm with arms, and it's presence was considerable for a hollow of such a shape.

The Shinigami however was not common, and his power was more than enough to crush an insolent hollow who dared to not even view the beauty that sliced him from behind.

With blood dripping from his blade, Ayasegawa watched the hollow dematerialize before his eyes, as a guardsman rushed up to his side.

The division member who had arrived was just as random and common as the hollow and like most of the eleventh, he was the opposite of beautiful.

"Thank you for your hard work Ayasegawa-third seat-sama!" The far from dashing member of his division complemented, as Yumichika motioned for the guardsman to come forward.

"Inform the captain of the hollow, I will tell Ikkaku."

The guardsman bowed and answered "yes sir" and then vanished from his sight.

After wiping his blade on a cloth pulled from his cloak, the third seat dropped it on the ground and called for another to dispose of it.

With his streets once more beautiful, Yumichika entered the domicile of Madarame by first announcing himself and when no reply came, he stepped inside.

There stood to his immediate surprise, his friend Ikkaku was upright and conscious, but like the hollow he was still, unmoving and impassable.

Speaking up, the third seat explained what had just happened, but neither Ikkaku nor Renji said a word.

"What's going on here," asked Yumichika, who slid the door closed behind him, as Renji didn't make immediate eye contact with him.

--

**Location: Earth… Karakura…Urahara Shop**

Having formed a roundtable within the Urahara shop, the four travelers sat evenly spaced with the three former exile captains. Yoruichi had returned moments prior to the meeting and sat in her full human form next to Urahara who was flanked by Tessai on the opposing side.

For a span of innumerable minutes, Ichigo laid it all out, everything he had seen involving the war and whatnot.

Silence ensued on the side of the former Shinigami, who processed the story as best as they could before coming up with the most expected of replies.

"Do you honestly expect us to believe such a made up story? How do we know you're not creations of Aizen sent here to monitor our actions, possibly even position us to take the fall for him once more?"

"You're not exactly innocent in this Urahara-san", Uryuu adjusted his glasses after directing a verbal strike on the sandal man.

Sado then took the ball, remembering the fight he had with Kyoraku was something he was entirely ill prepared for.

"You sent us after Kuchiki, and while we achieved the objective of rescuing her, the losses and forces we stood against were far more than we were capable of dealing with. Uryuu lost his abilities, I was injured fighting a captain, and Inoue grew more insecure for not being able to help any of us. The four of us were not prepared for such resistance, and while luck was on our side for a while, we eventually became pawns for Aizen, allowing him to move freely."

"And so many were hurt because we tried to clean up your mess," Inoue solemnly declared.

Lastly, Ichigo spoke once more with the final piece of truth he had been keeping deep within.

"Even if we say we'll forgive you for sending us ill prepared, it still doesn't buy the trust we need if this will succeed."

"I have one last thing to say, and if you still don't believe us we'll find our own way into heaven."

Ichigo sighed heavily and looked at his friends for a moment to affirm his resolve, and after gathering the support of them from only simple glances he then laid out the remainder of himself.

"To be honest, I learned this a short time ago from a fallen comrade, so I don't know of it's accuracy, and I doubt whether or not I could ever pry this information from dad, so you're the only one who can confirm who I am. It is a question you asked me just a short while ago; and it is a question I am proud to answer. My answer to your question will prove that I am speaking the truth, because this is something only a future version of myself could know."

"My name is, Shiba Ichigo…"

--

Urahara leaned back slightly, and took a deep breath, gathering all his doubts about the boy. With the resulting exhale, he was forced to admit the boy was truly not a threat, least of all to him or his friends.

Glancing without moving his head, the sandal wearing man read the disbelief from the faces of those that flanked him on either side.

For the tale of Shiba Isshin's fall from grace, was on par with their own.

Slamming his fan shut, Urahara then took the verbal ball which hung suspended in the space between them, and for a moment, dominated the conversation. But in order to reveal all that he kept within, one further requisite remained unspoken.

"If it's not too much trouble, Kuro…no, Shiba-san, I have one question."

"If I might be so bold to ask," Urahara pressed, "who relayed the information of your heritage to you?"

"It was Shiba Ganju, who relayed the last words of his fallen sister Kukaku."

The name of the then eldest of the Shiba clan was the one requisite. If it was her wish for Ichigo to know of his heritage, then there was nothing Urahara had to withhold any longer.

He had made her that promise, and thus he had never once spoken of it.

Quietly he gathered his thoughts, for it had been nearly twenty years since he had last processed these memories… Meanwhile, Ichigo and his nakama conversed for a while and sipped tea.

"Ichigo…?" Spoke Sado, and Uryuu followed with his usual reference of the family name but paused in error. Both were stunned at his revelation, while Inoue sat there peacefully, unquestioning his words.

Uryuu was struck by a chill that none of them had yet grasped, the fact that Ichigo and his family were related to Ganju and Kukaku was so obvious that he palmed his face. Ichigo was just as stubborn as Ganju, and yet his face was the same as the picture of Kaien that Ganju had shown them. Later on, Uryuu had met Kurosaki Karin, and seen her interactions with their father… Karin was just like Kukaku, they had the same nonchalant yet disturbingly violent disposition!

Ichigo truly was a Shiba!

This was clearly news to him and the others, but Ishida wondered what relevancy this had to obtaining Urahara's trust.

"So…" Inoue relayed her thoughts, "should I call you Shiba-kun then?"

Inoue then laughed out loud softly, "ahahaha, just kidding… Ichigo."

Silence ensued…

Sado and Uryuu weren't sure what was more surprising, the change in his name or the fact Orihime had just called Ichigo by his given name. Considering the red hue which had taken root on her face, it was plainly visible that doing such a thing was still an emotional speed bump she could cross but not without some trouble.

"Alrighty then," Urahara chuckled to them in a sing-song voice, it was a signal that he was ready to speak.

"Shiba-san, I do trust your story, and therefore I will finish the information you were told by Ganju-san. Even though I know you know this part, I feel I must start from here."

Ichigo and his friends nodded silently.

"Your father, Shiba Isshin used to be a Shinigami and twenty years ago he was banished from Sereitei. Isshin-san at one time had been a leading member of the Gotei 13, a hundred years ago or more."

Urahara scratched his head for a moment…

"To be honest I'm not sure exactly how old Isshin is, in that when I came into the protection squads, he had already moved on to the next level."

Ichigo sought then to continue proving his intelligence, ever so slightly, "You mean the zero division right?"

'Damn, you are well informed!'

"Exactly, he was promoted from his position as the ninth Kenpachi into the special division which is mandated to protect the king from danger."

"A little more than twenty years ago our time, Isshin came to earth, on orders from the king to investigate the most recent plot of spirit enriched earth…"

"Karakura town?" Ichigo erupted suddenly, as the reasoning for why they had been in that town had finally been laid out.

There were times in the quiet nights he had been unable to sleep where his mind would conjure the ideas of irony and fate. Irony that he was born with powers that could affect others, fate that he would come to be born in the very place that Aizen would need to destroy.

"Precisely Shiba-san, Isshin met your mother, and never went home to soul society. Ironically, he also met the younger form of Ishida Ryuuken, forming a combination not unlike the present Shinigami and Quincy."

Ishida blurted out "our fathers knew each other, and were just like us…?"

Uryuu found that thought very disturbing, that he could actually be like his father to a degree, the father he never had anything in common with.

"It's surprisingly true Ishida-san, Ryuuken and Isshin squabbled more than you two did, and I had hoped that someday I could convince the both of them to join us when we went after Aizen, but your father declined, saying he refused to help the very thing which had killed his own father."

Uryuu sat quietly reveling in the knowledge of how similar he and Ryuuken were, despite the fact they had seemingly been worlds apart.

--

After a moment of sipping tea and resting for a moment Urahara continued with the second half of the tale of Isshin.

"For a member of the zero division, there is no higher dishonor than dereliction of duty. Isshin was labeled a traitor and a heretic, and was henceforth and forevermore banished from soul society."

"As a result of your father's actions, the Shiba clan also felt the brunt of the heresy. But rather than subject her youngest brother to the scrutiny, Kukaku abandoned her post in Sereitei and ventured out into the furthest reaches of the rukongai. And thus the Shiba fell from grace. But to protect himself, Isshin came to me and pleaded for the use of an untraceable gigai. Therefore, I made a trade with Isshin, a gigai for his help in the war against Aizen. Isshin to my knowledge had nothing to do with Sosuke, and he accepted without hesitation."

"You say that," Ichigo took over then to input future knowledge, "but Dad did act rather strangely when he learned of Kaien and what happened to him. We learned from Aizen himself that he had created the hollow which consumed Kaien and his wife."

"But you know it makes so much sense now," Ichigo continued as the gears in his head turned with the new information as if it were greasing thoughts which he had never been able to finish. "It was like he switched personalities and became an entirely different person from then on. He never said a word, but the true knowledge of the death of his brother had changed him. My dad fought relentlessly against the forces of Aizen, eventually losing his life to him."

"However," Ichigo said with a smile, " Dad managed to weaken him though, enough to make Aizen withdraw from battle."

"As you said, Isshin-san's value as a fighter was unmatched".

The pain of such a thought wounded Ichigo for a moment, who grimaced even though he had just smiled.

Kisuke took a second to reflect on the knowledge that their enemy even had a hand in Kaien's death.

'Is there a limit to how much a man can destroy with his ambition?'

A solemn moment passed, and Urahara continued.

"As for why his powers were lost, I am the cause of that due to my mistakes. It took a few months for me to create a fully functioning gigai that was untraceable, as my supply of usable materials on earth is substandard compared to what I had in Sereitei. The elements necessary for it can only be found in Soul society and I had used up the last bit I had brought with me to create the disposal gigai."

There wasnt any need to discuss the meaning of 'disposal gigai', for it was a topic everyone had known all too well.

"The hougyoku disposal gigai, which I had no choice to give him until such time as his request could be filled."

"But the damage had been done, your father's powers were nearly gone."

"That's why he was powerless when Masaki died, because the amount of reishi on earth is a fraction of what exists in soul society. The draw on his soul power was considerable, that even in a few months, he was down to an initiate's strength. He's only now at seventy percent, which to say, makes him as strong as the current Kenpachi."

To the tourists, this was not unforeseen or unknown knowledge, but it was surprising nonetheless. It did explain a few things though. Ichigo had never known that his father used to be a Kenpachi, or that he was as ridiculously strong as the one he had once fought.

It did explain why no one had ever came to Karakura looking to kill him.

"Anyone who might've had a grudge wouldn't have been able to touch him, had he retained his abilities." Urahara sighed, knowing only a little bit of the tale remained.

"Now you're probably wondering Shiba-san, where Kukaku comes into this, regardless of the shame and misfortune brought upon her, she never hated Isshin. By her request, I have faithfully supplied her with regular updates on the condition of her brother, as well as his new family."

"Wait a minute", Ichigo was furious somewhat, "she knew about me even then?"

Urahara nodded.

Shaking his head from side to side, Ichigo wondered why she never spoke of her relation to Isshin.

As if replying to his thoughts, the sandal man answered it simply with "It was shame I imagine, Kukaku didn't want to burden you with his sins. And it was that same will of protection which made Isshin change his name to Kurosaki. He knew that any children of his would surely become Shinigami at some point in their lives, present or after death. Because he was labeled a heretic, the dishonor they, you would've been forced to wear would've been unbearable."

Ichigo seethed inside, but for once in a long time it had nothing to do with Aizen. Chuckling to himself, he noticed the insanity of such a thing, and ironically it felt really nice.

To think that his father had never told him something as important as this.

It irritated him beyond belief. Just as he had concluded with his inner laugh, to focus on something other than his purpose in this time was just what he needed for a while. With his hands on his knees, Shiba Ichigo arose and walked away from the table, which issued various vocal versions of his name, to which he turned and sighed.

"We're leaving in three days. Urahara Kisuke, please get in touch with Shinji Hirako, I would like to meet him and his kind, and persuade them to join us. We'll also need a way of concealing our reiatsu, a way I'm sure you could work with Uryuu to create."

Turning to Yoruichi he then spoke.

"Shihouin Yoruichi, I would like you to please work with my friends to assure they have full control of their powers. Since we've returned, we can't take any chances. In return, I'll fight you with my full power, to help you polish your own skills."

Yoruichi didn't know whether to slap the expression off the boy's face for thinking less of her or thank him.

Lastly and respectfully, Ichigo brought his eyes to match the burly Tessai.

"Tsukabishi Tessai, we don't need a portal to Sereitei, but you as much as Urahara deserve the chance to redeem yourself. I'd like the three of you to join us as well."

Tessai gasped at the words of the boy, "you want all of us to come with you, even Hirako…isn't that a bit excessive?"

Ichigo sighed once more, because admitting that he didn't have the strength to end Aizen completely in this time was disheartening to him.

"No it isn't. I barely beat Aizen in the future, and that was after we had chipped away all of his armors and broken all his swords. This time we face him at his strongest, so we need overwhelming force."

Ichigo stepped into the hallway but was stopped by Inoue's voice.

"Where are you going now Ichigo?"

It was the question that her lips had been the fastest to speak, it was something on the minds of everyone obviously.

"I'm going to see my father, and have a little chat with him. I'm going to make sure he stays here, and protects my sisters. And if I fail, he'll be the one to finish Aizen, I'll return his sacrifice by providing my own."

Ichigo's last words brought the level of seriousness into the light for all to see. It was not his usual tactic to speak so grimly, not the "I'll beat Aizen for sure", nor the triumphant cry that he would knock down anyone to save Rukia or Inoue. The war and his own death had changed him a little, regardless of the fact they had come back to the beginning of it all, he was not clouded by the omnipotence that was often the failing of a traveler.

Ichigo walked from the revelation of the hidden past of his family knowing he could still be killed. But as his father once told him, he would die with a smile on his face and he would die after giving everything he had and more.

_--_

_--_

_--_

_**A/N:** I guess it's my fault for not being specific when i started this story, and i never clearly said that it was going to be IchiRuki. But from the very beginning of this one, i've had no intention of making it IR. I tried to be considerate to you all but even after i changed it to IR, i lost the interest to write it, because I don't believe in that pairing at the moment. I won't touch the original moonfang, and i'll continue it at some point. But this Moonfang will be IchiHime, I'm sorry if this upsets some of you, to be honest i wasnt expecting such a backlash for my earlier suggestion. and like superman on laundry day i folded, but ultimately that choice created a story i didnt want to write. I'm sorry i've been so indecisive with the constant changings. _

_I thank you for reading this one, and if you decide to continue with me, i'll make this a moonfang on par with the original. If not then, thanks for sticking with me all this time! _

_Thanks for playing along and have a wonderful day!_

_**CeriaHalcyon**_


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